


Flyboys

by ladygabe



Series: Interludes: A Series of Moments in Poe Dameron's Life [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: But I do what I want, But hell if she won't mom him, Canon Compliant, Gen, Interlude, Leia doesn't know when she adopted Poe, Poe Dameron Being a Little Shit, Spoilers, This isn't long enough to have an epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 16:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5633572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladygabe/pseuds/ladygabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the moments before launching the mission to Maz Kanada's castle, General Organa and Captain Wexley mourn the Resistance's ace pilot. At least, until he shows up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flyboys

The confirmed location of BB-8 had sent the entire Resistance compound into a frenzy. The majority of the activity was centered around the landing pad, where a squadron of X-Wings - and one personal transport - were preparing for take-off. 

In the chaos, a lone inert figure caught Leia's eye. She broke apart from her small escort, waving them on as she came to stand in front of the prone Snap Wexley. The pilot was holding a helmet in his hands, staring down at the visor. Unlike his own, it was black and red, the symbol of the Rebel Alliance emblazoned on the front. 

The sight of it wrenched her heart. Leia lifted her gaze to where a black and orange X-Wing sat apart from the others, its engines the only ones that had not been primed. Necessity would lead to it flying again, she knew. But for now, it stood untouched, an almost sacred monument to the flight leader that the Resistance had lost. 

That leadership now fell to Wexley, visibly weighing him down. He glanced up at her as she approached.

"He should be leading this," Wexely said, allowing himself a moment of pure grief.

"I would give much to have that be so, " Leia said, voice uncharacteristically soft. The loss of Poe still tore at her. She wondered to herself of her senior officers had been right, if she had been mistaken in sending him. He had been so young, so skilled, so eager. Perhaps she had shouldered him with too much responsibility too soon. 

If she had sent an older pilot like Wexley, one with more experience, would they both be alive now? 

Leia shook her head to clear it. She could not allow herself to be consumed by old decisions, not when so much was at stake. Poe was gone, and she owed her new flight leader some encouragement before he took wing. 

"But he has left a fine man in his stead," she continued firmly, raising her voice to make sure not only he heard her, but the other pilots. "He would be proud to have you succeed him."

She belatedly noticed that none of the pilots she had been expecting to eavesdrop were paying her and Wexley any attention. Pilots and techs alike had suddenly crowded around someone - or something - in their midst. Even a few droids were pointedly trying to wedge in. Leia heard the voice of Jessika Pava rise in delighted shock. 

"You crazy son of a bitch!"

"That's no way to talk about someone's mother, Blue Three!"

The speaker, a dark-haired figure, broke through the crowd in a hurry, still struggling to get a flight suit on over clothes covered in dust. Leia let out an involuntary noise, shock coloring her features. 

"Yes, I would be very proud," said Poe Dameron, flashing his fellow pilot a wild grin. "But I'm not quite ready to give up my throne just yet."

"You-" Leia was seldom speechless, but she found herself so, staring up at the man she had been in the middle of mourning. 

Poe grabbed Leia by the shoulders and quickly gave her two kisses, one on each cheek. She could not even find the voice to scold him for the impropriety as he spoke again. "Yes, yes, I know, BB-8's at Maz Kanada's, yes he has the map, I'm going, I'm going!" 

He grabbed his helmet out of the stunned Wexley's hands. "Thank you!" 

With that, he bolted for his specially painted X-Wing, shouting for the other pilots to load up. 

Wexley gaped after him, before slowly turning to look at his very bemused General. Leia shook her head slowly, unable to stop the smile growing on her face. 

"Flyboys."

 

Epilogue.  
Poe looked extremely pleased with himself as Ackbar led Finn away, already peppering him with questions. They had sent the First Order packing, BB-8 had been recovered, and now he had brought the General a priceless informant. Not bad, for failing miserably and having nothing go as planned. 

General Leia glanced at Poe's self-satisfied expression and reached upwards. 

"Owowow!" Poe yelped. 

To those around them, the scene of General Leia Organa twisting the ear of her ace pilot was very reminiscent of watching an old dog force a puppy to show its belly. Poe, to his credit, was very quick to show his. 

"You owe me a debriefing," she told the younger man, tone stern. She would teach him to worry her so. 

"Yes ma'am!" Poe gave her as snappy a salute as he could manage, half bent over with her fingers on his ear. Leia gave him a judging look before releasing him, satisfied with her revenge. 

Poe rubbed his ear, smiling sheepishly at the bewildered looks of the staff around them. None of them had ever seen Leia act so familiar with any of her crew, much less treat one like she might a naughty child. 

Ah well. His ear might smart for a while, but as he followed Leia's to give her the requested debriefing, Poe assured himself that the informality was yet more proof that he was the General's favorite.


End file.
